Christoph Spering & Das Neue Orchester

The juxtaposition of the first works of two 'late symphonists' - Anton Bruckner and Johannes Brahms were both 43 years old at the premiere of their 'First' - makes it clear that the symphonies of these supposed antipodes have a common root: Ludwig van Beethoven, whose Coriolan Overture in C minor is followed, not coincidentally, by the symphonies in the concerto, each in the same key attacca.

Although Brahms still complained in the early 1870s that he would probably "never compose a symphony" because he "always heard such a giant (Beethoven) marching behind him" , he repeatedly occupied himself with a "1st symphony movement" drafted in 1862. Symphony Movement", on the basis of which he finally completed his Symphony No. 1 in C minor in 1876, a full 14 years later. The influence of the "giant" on the work was so striking that the bon mot of conductor Hans von Bülow soon made the rounds that it was Beethoven's "tenth symphony".

"Das kecke Beserl" is what Bruckner retrospectively called his Symphony No. 1 in C minor, completed in 1866 and premiered in Linz in 1868. And indeed, what an impetuous work, what a revolutionary work! In 1865, Bruckner had learnt his craft, internalised the compositional tradition and made the acquaintance of Richard Wagner's music. Equipped with these tools, he set off into new worlds with his first numbered symphony and confidently entered the musical field that he declared to be the most important for him: symphonic music.

Under the direction of Christoph Spering, Das Neue Orchester presents two symphonic endeavours that proved to be milestones in the development of the genre and thus worthy of the great role model of their creators.